Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies - DUBOIS, Abbé Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, Dubois | Page 407

ERECTING A SHRINE
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the deceased, and by that means to take upon themselves
all their sins.
A few days after the funeral the new king made a pil-
grimage to a temple a few leagues distant from his capital.
He there took a bath in a sacred tank, and was thus purified
of all the uncleanness that he had contracted during the
On this occasion also
various ceremonies of mourning.
presents were given to the Brahmins and to the poor of
other castes.
On the spot where the deceased king and his two
unhappy
companions had been consumed a circular mausoleum was
erected, about 12 feet in diameter, surmounted by a dome.
The reigning prince visits it from time to time, prostrates
himself humbly before the tombs, and offers sacrifices to
the manes of his predecessor and to those of his worthy
and saintly spouses.
Crowds of devotees also repair thither to offer up vows
and sacrifices to the new divinities, and to implore their
help and protection in the various troubles of life.
In the year 1802 I heard accounts of a great number of
so-called miracles performed through their intercession.
It is only after long and serious reflection on the many
eccentricities and inconsistencies of the human mind that
one can look without astonishment upon the deplorable
scenes of which a few of the main features have just been
It is indeed unaccountable how these Brah-
described.
mins, who are so scrupulous and attach so much importance
to the life of the most insignificant insect, and whose
feelings are excited to pity and indignation at the very
cow being slaughtered, can, with such savage
cold-bloodedness and wicked satisfaction, look upon so
many weak and innocent human beings, incited by hypo-
critical and barbarous inducements, being led with affected
resignation to a punishment so cruel and undeserved.
I
leave to others the task of explaining these inconceivable
contradictions, if, that is to say, it is possible to assign any
reasons for such superstitious fanaticism, whose charac-
teristic feature is to suppress all natural and rational
sentiment.
sight of a